A vendor document register (VDR) tracks every drawing, data sheet, certificate, manual, calculation and record a supplier must submit. It should show the purchaser and vendor document numbers, title, required stage, planned and actual dates, vendor revision, review status, return code, responsible reviewer and final handover requirement.
Vendor documentation is part of the supplied equipment or package. Without the required drawings, certificates, manuals and test records, the physical item may be difficult to approve, install, commission or maintain.
Define the VDR before submissions begin
The purchase order, material requisition or supplier document requirements should establish what the vendor owes, the required format, submission timing and review process. The first VDR should include planned rows for documents that have not yet been produced.
Waiting until the end of manufacture turns the register into a retrospective list and removes its value as a scheduling and review-control tool.
Core VDR fields
| Field group | Useful fields |
|---|---|
| Identity | Purchase order, package, vendor document number, purchaser document number, title and type |
| Planning | Required stage, planned first submission, required final date and responsible vendor |
| Revision | Vendor revision, purchaser revision or version, and submission sequence |
| Review | Review status, return code, comments due date, reviewer and closeout state |
| Handover | As-built required, final format, file name, manual or data-book section and acceptance status |
Keep review status separate from revision
A vendor may submit Revision 2 and receive a return code requiring changes. The revision tells you which issue was reviewed; the review code tells you what may happen next. Combining both into one cell makes overdue responses and rejected documents harder to find.
Control both numbering systems
Many projects assign a purchaser document number while the vendor retains its own number. Store both explicitly and define which appears in the filename and title block. Do not rely on a handwritten cross-reference hidden in comments.
Plan final documentation early
Final manuals and manufacturing record books often depend on documents approved throughout the purchase order. Mark which VDR rows must return as certified, as-built or final. Check that comments are closed and that the final file naming and folder structure match the handover requirements.
When Deliverable Preflight helps
At a vendor data-book or package milestone, export the required VDR rows to CSV or XLSX and compare them with the received local folder. The tool can identify missing items, unlisted extras and several candidate files sharing one document number.
Deliverable Preflight performs the file-level comparison locally. Technical approval and comment closeout remain with the project review process.
View Deliverable Preflight in Microsoft Store →Related guides
See MDR fields and building a turnover package index.
Further reading
- Oracle: Aconex document fields, including vendor data
- Projectmaterials: MDR and vendor documentation overview
Questions people ask
What does VDR mean in document control?
It usually means vendor document register: the planned and current record of documents a supplier must submit under a purchase order or package.
Is a VDR the same as an MDR?
A VDR covers one vendor or procurement package. Its controlled records may feed into the broader master document register.
Should a VDR include planned documents?
Yes. Planned rows make the VDR useful for forecasting and expediting before the documents exist.